Tottenham Chair Angered By Mesut Özil's Move To Arsenal After Hearing He Was Unavailable

September 5, 2013

EPL Tottenham Chair Daniel Levy, with his former player Gareth Bale now with Real Madrid, "wanted to make his understanding of the market and the negotiations clear," according to José Félix Díaz of EL CONFIDENCIAL. Levy "called Real Madrid to try to stop the team's sale of Mesut Özil to Tottenham's direct rival, Arsenal." Levy "felt betrayed by Real Madrid after Real Madrid's transfer of Özil to Arsenal." The "Tottenham exec had to see it to believe it after all that had happened in July and August." During "the Bale negotiations, Levy asked for Özil in exchange for Bale, but Real Madrid did not think in July that Özil's status with the team was about to change." Real Madrid President Florentino Perez said that Özil's situation "has been deteriorating as Perez repeatedly denied Özil the salary increase he was requesting." During Bale's "presentation as the newest member of Real Madrid, Perez was the only one who seemed bothered by fans asking for Özil to remain with the club, demanding them to be quiet" (EL CONFIDENCIAL, 9/3). In London, Dave Wood reported "Levy was stunned to discover the Germany midfielder [Özil] was on his way to their north London rivals after being told he was not for sale by Real Madrid." Özil admitted that he had "not expected to leave" Real Madrid but revealed that once it was clear he no longer "figured in the first-team plans of Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti following the signing of Bale, he had no hesitation in moving on to a fresh challenge at Arsenal" (DAILY MAIL, 9/4).